Commemoration of Saints (March 23)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Turibius de Mongrovejo, bishop
• Victorian & Companions, martyrs
• Benedict the Hermit
• Ethelwald the Hermit
• Joseph Oriol [1]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 23]

• St. Nicon, Venerable Martyr & 200 companions [2]

Author's note: As you follows this Blog in the study of the Lives of the Saints, generally called hagiography, you can notice certain stages in their lives which are common in the path to holiness.

These stages, although not applicable to all the Saints and Beati who are canonized and beatified in the Church, is common for those who began a not-so-good-start in life. I will list five stages which I have observed:

• First stage: A not-so-good-beginning in life. He or she may have been worldly or wasteful of his time. Some of whom I can mention are: St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Camillus de Lellis, St. Moses the Ethiopian, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Mary of Egypt, St. John of God
• Second stage: Then they begin to experience a spiritual conversion: St. Augustine of Hippo hearing the words of the Bible, St. Ignatius of Loyola convaslescing in his family's home after being hit by a cannonball, etc.
• Third stage: After this initial spiritual conversion, they enter into a period of much prayer and reflection. Some enter into caves or go to the desert for more solitude. Some undertake a pilgrimage to Rome or to the Holy Land.
• Fourth stage: After they have been spiritually purged of bad habits, broke off from worldly relationships, and illuminated with the grace of God, they either enter into a religious order or congregation, or they found and build a new one. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits. St. Teresa of Avila reformed Carmelite spirituality and founded the Discalced Carmelites.
• Fifth stage: And lastly, these enlightened followers of Christ have been so united with God's will that they undertake tremendous spiritual endeavours such as apostolates and missions to many peoples in distant lands. They built churches, hospices, institutes for the sick, the elderly, or schools and universities.

This is the "classic" path to holiness which delineate the spiritual journey of many Saints through the observation of their lives as they go through five stages.

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon